1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an outer mirror device for a vehicle which has a mirror for rearward viewing and which is mounted to the exterior of a vehicle body.
2. Description of the Related Art
In an outer mirror device for a vehicle which is mounted to the left and right doors of a vehicle, a mirror for rearward viewing is disposed in a vicinity of the opening of a mirror visor which forms the design of the outer mirror device for a vehicle. A space is formed between the mirror and the mirror visor which covers the reverse surface side of the mirror. In a so-called retractable outer mirror device for a vehicle, the mirror visor is supported so as to be rotatable with respect to a stay which is fixed to the door.
Internal mechanisms for operating the outer mirror device for a vehicle from the driver's seat are accommodated in the space at the interior of the mirror visor. Generally, a mirror surface angle adjusting unit which changes the mirror surface angle of the mirror by operation of a switch near the driver's seat, an electrically-driven retracting unit which moves the outer mirror device for a vehicle between a retracted position of being retracted along the door and a usage position at which the outer mirror device for a vehicle is extended such that the region substantially toward the rear of the vehicle can be seen from the driver's seat, and the like are used as the internal mechanisms. The mirror surface angle adjusting unit, the electrically-driven retracting unit, and the like have an electric motor therein. When the unit receives power and is operated, the function of the unit is carried out.
In order to supply power to the mirror surface angle adjusting unit, the electrically-driven retracting unit, or the like, in the outer mirror device for a vehicle, a supporting shaft, which is fixed to the stay and which rotatably supports the mirror visor, is made to be hollow, and power supply wires are led into the mirror visor through the interior of the supporting shaft (see, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) No. 2001-332316). In this way, the wires can be laid so as to not be affected by the rotation of the mirror visor with respect to the door (the stay).
Moreover, in recent years, it has been thought to place various internal mechanisms such as the following for example which are operated by being electrically charged (energized), at the interior space in the outer mirror device for a vehicle and in addition to the aforementioned mirror surface angle adjusting unit and electrically-driven retracting unit: a mirror anti-glare mechanism using an electrochromic element, a water droplet removing mechanism or fogging preventing mechanism using ultrasonic vibrations or a heater, an illuminating device illuminating light toward the feet of a vehicle occupant before he/she enters the vehicle, an image pick-up device for covering the dead angle at the vehicle, a direction indicating device, or the like.
Such an outer mirror device for a vehicle will be described on the basis of FIG. 9. An outer mirror device 200 for a vehicle shown in FIG. 9 has a mirror 202 for rearward viewing, and a mirror visor 204 covering the reverse surface of the mirror 202. The mirror visor 204 is structured by a visor rim 204A and a visor cover 204B which are connected together. A frame 206 is fixed between the visor rim 204A and the visor cover 204B.
The outer mirror device 200 for a vehicle has an electrically-driven retracting unit 208, a mirror surface angle adjusting unit 210, a mirror surface angle detecting sensor 212, a heater 214, and a foot lamp device 216, each of which is an internal mechanism accommodated within the mirror visor 204 (i.e., between the mirror visor 204 and the mirror 202).
The electrically-driven retracting unit 208 is fixed to the frame 206 in a state in which a stand 220, which is a supporting shaft fixed to a stay 218 which is fixed to the door of the vehicle, is inserted through the electrically-driven retracting unit 208. An electric motor, a reduction mechanism, and the like are disposed at the interior of the electrically-driven retracting unit 208. Due to the electrically-driven retracting unit 208 rotating around the stand 220 due to the electric motor being power supplied, the outer mirror device 200 for a vehicle can be moved between a usage position at which the rearward region can be viewed by the mirror 202, and a retracted position at which the outer mirror device 200 for a vehicle is folded over along the door.
A driving mechanism portion 210A of the mirror surface angle adjusting unit 210 is fixed to the frame 206. A mirror holder 210B of the mirror surface angle adjusting unit 210 passes through the substantially frame-shaped visor rim 204A and is fixed to the reverse surface side of the mirror 202. The driving mechanism portion 210A supports the mirror holder 210B by a pivot structure such that the mirror holder 210B can swing in the vertical direction and the horizontal direction, and has drive rods which are provided at a position offset in the vertical direction from this supporting point and at a position offset in the horizontal direction from this supporting point, respectively. Respective one end portions of the drive rods are rotatably connected to the mirror holder 210B. Due to the drive rods moving in the axial direction due to the driving forces of the electric motors, the mirror surface angle of the mirror 202 in the vertical direction and in the horizontal direction is changed. Namely, the driving mechanism portion 210A of the mirror surface angle adjusting unit 210 is structured so as to include two electric motors.
The mirror surface angle detecting sensor 212 has a pair of sensor rods 212B which project from a case 212A fixed to the driving mechanism portion 210A. Each sensor rod 212B is urged by a spring toward the side, in the axial direction, of projecting from the case 212A. One of the sensor rods 212B is pressed to contact the mirror holder 210B at a position offset in the vertical direction from the aforementioned point of support by the pivot structure. The other sensor rod 212B is pressed to contact the mirror holder 210B at a position offset in the horizontal direction from the aforementioned point of support. In this way, the respective sensor rods 212B follow the changes in the mirror surface angle of the mirror 202, while extending and retracting with respect to the case 212A. Variable resistance type sensors, which detect the positions (the amounts of movement) of the respective sensor rods 212B, are provided within the case 212A, and can detect the mirror surface angle of the mirror 202 by the positions of the respective sensor rods 212B. Namely, the mirror surface angle detecting sensor 212 has two variable resistance type sensors.
The heater 214 is formed in the shape of a sheet or in the shape of a thin plate, and is mounted to the reverse surface of the mirror 202 (between the mirror 202 and the mirror holder 210B) Due to the heater 214 being power supplied, the heater 214 generates heat and heats the mirror. Defrosting of the mirror is thereby carried out.
The foot lamp device 216 is structured by a lens and a case, which accommodates a light bulb or an LED, being joined together, and is fixed to the lower portion of the mirror visor 204. The lens structures a portion of the outer lower surface of the mirror visor 204. When the light bulb or the like emits light, it illuminates the region beneath, i.e., the feet of a person who is near the door.
The above-described electrically-driven retracting unit 208, mirror surface angle adjusting unit 210, mirror surface angle detecting sensor 212, heater 214, and foot lamp device 216 are electrically connected via respective wires to a door ECU 222 which is a control device. The door ECU 222 is disposed inside the door of the vehicle (i.e., outside of the door mirror device for a vehicle), and, in addition to carrying out control of the aforementioned respective internal mechanisms, also carries out control of the mechanisms at the door such as the power window device and the like.
The plural wires connected to the door ECU 22 by a connector 224 are bundled and covered so as to form a wire harness 226, and are passed through the interiors of the stay 218 and the hollow stand 220 (the electrically-driven retracting unit 208), and are led into the mirror visor 204. Within the mirror visor 204, the covering of the wires is removed and the respective wires are connected to the internal mechanisms corresponding respectively thereto.
Specifically, two wires 228 for supplying power to the electric motor are connected via a waterproof connector 230 to the electrically-driven retracting unit 208. Two wires 232 for supplying power to each of the two electric motors are connected via a waterproof connector 234 to the mirror surface angle adjusting unit 210. (i.e., there are a total of four of the wires 232). A total of four wires 236 for energizing the two variable resistance sensors and for detection are connected via a waterproof connector 238 to the mirror surface angle detecting sensor 212. Two wires 240 for supplying power are connected to the heater 214 via a waterproof connector 242. Two wires 244 for supplying power to the light bulb or the like are connected to the foot lamp device 216 via a waterproof connector 246.
Namely, in the outer mirror device 200 for a vehicle shown in FIG. 9, a total of fourteen wires are led into the mirror visor 204. Note that the respective cases (e.g., a case 212A and the like) of the electrically-driven retracting unit 208, the mirror surface angle adjusting unit 210, the mirror surface angle detecting sensor 212, the heater 214, and the foot lamp device 216 are waterproof structures respectively. Further, the lower portion of the stand 220 is covered by a stay under cover 248.
In this way, at the outer mirror device 200 for a vehicle, a structure in which plural internal mechanisms are accommodated within the mirror visor 204 is realized.
However, as described above, in the conventional outer mirror device 200 for a vehicle, the wires for electrically charging (energizing) or for supplying power to the respective internal mechanisms must be led into the mirror visor 204. More specifically, for each of the electric machines (the electric motor, the sensor, the heater, the light bulb, and the like) in the respective internal mechanisms, two or three or more wires must be led through the interior of the stand 220 which rotatably supports the mirror visor 204. Therefore, a problem arises in that the number of internal mechanisms which can be accommodated within the mirror visor 204 is limited by the number of wires which can be passed through the stand 220.
Namely, within the range of the dimensions of the stand 220 which are determined in accordance with the requirements concerning the mechanical strength and functions and the like, there are limits to increasing the number of wires which can be led into the mirror visor. More specifically, in the above-described outer mirror device 200 for a vehicle shown in FIG. 9, it is difficult to pass more wires (15 or more wires) through the stand 220, and it is not possible to provide other internal mechanisms.